Bright Future
by Scotia Daniel
Summary: Karai had always been beautiful to him, but now, as she walked down the aisle with the fatherly figure she deserved at her arm to be given away to him, she had never been more gorgeous before than she was at that moment.
1. New Beginnings

Leonardo shifted beneath the robes he wore and rubbed his fingers on the fabric. It was weird to be dressed in anything besides his mask. He gazed down at the kimono he wore. Well...sort of kimono. It used to belong to Splinter and had been very traditional...but it had been altered into a more westernized shirt and pants. Not just for the sake of where they were, but also so Leonardo could easily slip in and out of the attire.

The ninja glanced down the aisle formed by folding chairs and felt his mouth lightly drop. The time had come, it seemed. Splinter's tall frame came into view over the hill and to the top, a small figure by his side.

Splinter seemed to beam as the sun reached the horizon behind Leonardo. The warmth washed over the faces of his brothers that stood to his left, April, his sister-in-law, on his right, and over the figures of April's father, Mr. Murakami, friends they had made over the years and numerous Foot Clan members who remained loyal to Karai. They had all turned to watch the figures of Splinter and the petite woman on his arm come closer and closer. In front of them, his five year old niece skipped ahead, throwing flower pedals here and there, her copper hair shinning in the sun that resembled her mothers, her reddish brown eyes shimmering like her father's.

Leonardo gazed at the woman at Splinter's arm with warmth and admiration. The sun glistened in Karai's light brown eyes, making them seem almost ember. His eyes fell lower on her body and admired the dress. He knew she had special ordered something, but this was the first he had been able to see it. She had kept it a secret from him. That is, until now.

The ninja felt himself smile. It was so Karai to take a traditional Japanese kimono and add her own flare. It was westernized, just like his outfit, but not quite. The dress was black from her bosom and faded into red, purple, and finally blue. Splashes of golden spots decorated the bottom and lightly rose up her leg a tad. White covered her forearms and hung on the rest of her arms like drapes that faded from white to a dark blue. A bright red bow sat on her lower back.

Leonardo glanced at Murakami-san who held a bundle in his arms. It had been almost two years since Karai had given birth to their daughter, Miwa. Before their little girl was born, Karai had shaved her head to start anew when she left the Shredder behind. The hair grew back rather quickly and had reached a little past her shoulders. Her dark hair had been pulled into a high bun, pink flowers placed in her hair with a white, see through veil that lightly covered her head but not her precious face.

Karai had always been beautiful to him, but now, as she walked down the aisle with the fatherly figure she deserved at her arm to be given away to him, she had never been more gorgeous before than she was at that moment.

The sun dipped behind the horizon and Karai stood before him. He had grown a little bit taller over the years. She no longer towered over them. Now, he was a few inches taller and they were more eye to eye. It could be a metaphor for how their relationship ended up over the years: how they went from her looking down on him to seeing eye to eye with him, but he'd keep that idea to himself for now.

They had chosen a perfect evening to marry. It wasn't too hot, not too cold...Karai slipped her hand into his and smiled. They thought about having a traditional Shinto wedding...but they couldn't find a shrine or proper place to perform the ceremonies. Instead, they decided on a westernized wedding.

They could have gone with the blind priest April and Donatello had had for their wedding, but Leonardo and Karai just wanted to cut to the chase. They had the vows memorized like it was tattooed onto their brains, they knew they could handle the ceremony as is.

"This woman, I marry, no matter what the health situation is: I will love this person, respect this person, console this person..." His voice didn't waver. He never felt more sure about this before in his life. When he was done, Karai exchanged her vows. Her voice was like liquid gold and he knew he could listen to her forever.

When the time came, he slipped the ring he had made for her onto her slender finger. Black and red with a blue heart shaped gem stone...it suited her person well. She slipped a large ring onto his, taking it from a pouch in her dress. It was blue and black with a red heart shaped gem stone in the center. When they were done, and the sun's final rays disappeared behind the horizon, Leonardo and Karai's lips met. The lanterns that hung from the trees lit up and their guests applauded.

Even when they broke the kiss, Karai's eyes were on him and only him. She smiled the cute way she did and he knew he had made the right choice. Murakami-san came over and handed the bundle to Leonardo who took his daughter happily into his arms. His brothers came over, slapped him on the shoulder, hugged the now married couple and kissed their new sister-in-law on the cheek. Family surrounded them and even though the sun had long gone to sleep, they felt the warmth of their presence sink in.

Splinter stepped in and held a camera up to his face. Karai took her child in her arms and held her daughter to her. Leonardo wrapped his arms around his wife and child and his brothers and April leaned in, large smiles on their faces. A flash filled their eyes and Leonardo beamed. He gazed at his wife and daughter at his side and couldn't help but see how happy they were. How perfect they were...his family. Now he understood why people said that your wedding day was the happiest day of your life. He watched his family interact with guests and family. Heh...happiest day of his life? That was an understatement. Leonardo smiled and took a step forward to both join his family in celebration and also a step forward to the bright future that he knew laid ahead of him.

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**Reply to Reviews:**

**AndreaBunton: Thank you so much! If I write more "adult," I try to make it tasteful. Sensual. I want it to mean something more than just the physical aspect. Also, my good friend Nightowl285 will be writing the Donnie and April wedding scene. :)**

**DarkSummerBrightWinter92: Awwww thanks! Same!**


	2. The Best

Mist had settled over the lake that hid the blue-green water and roots of the cherry blossom trees that surrounded the quaint home. Leonardo gazed out the window at the scenery, a full moon in the dark sky with stars splattered here and there.

The wall Leonardo was facing was all glass. Just a giant window that overlooked the beautiful, Japanese scenery. Normally he wouldn't dare stand at a window like that, but he truly was alone out there. The house had been custom made and the nearest neighbors were over ten miles away or more. And even then, the home was surrounded by trees that concealed the home and gave him places to hide if anyone were to stumble upon them.

Leonardo didn't know how long he had been standing there, but it was probably for a good while. He had watched the sky pinken in colour, fade to purple and a deep, dark blue washed over the sky as the sun went over the horizon. He had been told to wait, and wait he did.

"Leo?"

Leonardo turned to the soft voice and felt his jaw drop. The petite figure of his new wife stepped out of the bathroom and into the moonlit bedroom. She had traded out an ordinary outfit for a black dress that faded to red the more south he looked. The sleeves were a faint red and became a light blue where her hands were. His colour...on her back sat a big pink bow and her hair was up and pinned with a rose of the same shade.

When Karai had told him she had a surprise for him, she wasn't joking. It was so her, but at the same time, it wasn't. It made her look...softer. More feminine. More...he didn't even know how to describe it.

Beautiful. That's it. It made her even more beautiful than she had been before. And it took his breath away.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." His voice came out like a whisper. He had been unsure if she had heard him but a shy smile appeared on her face and he knew he didn't have to repeat himself.

She stepped closer until they were only inches apart. Karai was acting so...not Karai that night. The usually unpredictable, cold hearted woman he had fallen in love with wouldn't be so...gentle.

Leonardo lifted his hand and took the flower in her hair. He pulled it out and her hair fell around her face in gorgeous wisps. He felt his heart thump hard in his chest cavity and suddenly he felt nervous.

"Karai, I-"

"I...know this is unusual...but because it's our honeymoon...I wanted to give you something special. Something different...If you don't like it I understand. I-"

Leonardo silenced her with a kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist and she gave in to the sensation of hips on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he admired at how gentle she was being.

Karai stepped away, reached behind her and undid the bow. The pink sash dropped, the dress becoming loose on her. She stepped closer once more and connected their lips.

Slowly but surely the rest of the kimono found its way to the floor. Leonardo thought that it was a shame that something so beautiful was being handled like that, but when Karai touched him with the soft touch of her finger tips, his mind soon left the clothing behind.

The bed found the back of Leonardo's thighs and he fell back, sitting on the silk sheets. Karai climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. She looked beautiful in the moonlight. The only clothing left between them were her bra and underwear. Her ivory skin seemed to light up in the moonlight and he felt his eyelids droop with passion.

That night was different than the others. Instead of being rushed or rough, they made love so sweetly Leonardo couldn't believe it was real. The way her body fit against his, how her mouth drew out his name when he did something right to her body that she enjoyed...he was slow with his movements and Karai went along with it, allowing him to do whatever with her body.

It was a night Leonardo knew he would always remember, and not just because it was their honeymoon. It was a night of firsts, you could say. First time they took things slow, first to be away from society to really enjoy themselves as a couple, first time Karai showed a soft side Leonardo barely knew she had...

They would spend their week in the Japanese summer home with skinny dipping in the lake, breakfast where they fed each other, and ending each night with a cup of tea as they watched the sun set. Leonardo couldn't ask for anything better, and looking at the beautiful kunoichi sleeping against his frame, he knew that the best was right there in his arms.


End file.
